Atlanta — As Georgia faces a critical shortage of physicians to serve its citizens, especially minority primary care physicians and general surgeons, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is ready to step up to do its part in addressing this looming health-care crisis. The Atlanta-based medical school has developed a plan to increase class size by 35 percent over the next three years, moving from the present class size of 52 students to 70 students by 2011. Students admitted under this expansion will be exclusively Georgia residents. MSM is able to move quickly on expansion because it already has received approval to expand to 64 students under existing accreditation.

The physician shortage has been forecast nationally by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and locally by the Georgia Board for Physician Workforce. Moreover, Tripp Umbach, a medical education consultant retained by the Medical College of Georgia, reports that "Without immediate statewide investment in medical education at the MD level and simultaneous expansion of primary care residency training programs, the future health and safety of Georgians is at risk."

As the state's population grows, so does the number of uninsured residents and the number of disparities in health status and health services. "Many urban and rural communities, economically disadvantaged and underrepresented minority populations will be more severely impacted and remain underserved if a physician shortage emerges. Morehouse School of Medicine has made a commitment to the state that we will expand our class size to help address the physician workforce shortage in Georgia," said MSM President Dr. John E. Maupin Jr.

MSM is the only medical school in the state with a special focus on training minority doctors.

Since its founding, MSM has worked in partnership with the state of Georgia to increase the number of primary care physicians to serve the state's citizens. MSM works to improve the health of Georgians by educating and training physicians committed to the primary health-care needs of underserved rural and urban communities. MSM works in partnership with Emory University School of Medicine and Grady Memorial Hospital to provide care to some of the state's more vulnerable citizens.